Methods And Apparatuses For Use In Route Navigation Involving A Mobile Station

• US 20110178701A1
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Saumitra Mohan, Gupta, Rajarshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,689,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/204
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/10 by using measurements of speed or acceleration G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/14 by recording the course traversed by the object G01C21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

Techniques are provided which may be implemented using various methods and/or apparatuses to allow for delay zone information to be gathered by one or more mobile stations used in route navigation, provided to one or more computing devices and processed in some manner to establish navigation information that may be of use by mobile stations involved in route navigation. For example, in certain instances navigation information may be indicative of an expected delay with regard to at least one known delay zone that may affect a user of the mobile station attempting to adhere to a route.

Claims

1. A method comprising, with a mobile station:

estimating a navigation progress with regard to a route;

identifying a wait starting time of at least one delay zone portion of said route based, at least in part, on said navigation progress;

identifying a wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route;

gathering delay zone information associated with at least part of a period of waiting time between said wait starting time and said wait ending time; and

selectively transmitting at least a portion of said delay zone information to at least one other device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said wait starting time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

or

an estimated location of said mobile station and at least one known delay zone.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

an estimated location of said mobile station and at least one known delay zone;

expiration of a waiting period threshold value;

an occurrence of a selected action performed using said mobile station subsequent said wait starting time.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one delay zone portion of said route is associated with a non-pedestrian traveled portion of said route.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein estimating said navigation progress with regard to said route comprises:

determining an estimated time of arrival at a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said delay zone information;

or an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone associated with said route.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said expected delay time for said at least one known delay zone is based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said at least one known delay zone.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said portion of said delay zone information further corresponds to at least one known delay zone.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein estimating said navigation progress with regard to said route comprises:

determining at least one parameter associated with said navigation progress based, at least in part, on at least one of;

a current expected location of said mobile station;

a current estimated location of said mobile station;

or a current time.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said portion of said delay zone information associated with said period of waiting time is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of said mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of said mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using said mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising, with said mobile station:

determining said route leading from a starting point associated with said mobile station to a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one map.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying at least one of said wait starting time or said wait ending time is based, at least in part, on geofence information associated with at least one geofence region.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said geofence information comprises a threshold geofence distance, and further comprising, with said mobile station:

in response to a determination that a routable distance associated with at least a portion of said route is less than said threshold geofence distance, gathering said delay zone information at least with regard to said at least one geofence region.

13. An apparatus for use with a mobile station, the apparatus comprising:

means for estimating a navigation progress with regard to a route;

means for identifying a wait starting time of at least one delay zone portion of said route based, at least in part, on said navigation progress;

means for identifying a wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route;

means for gathering delay zone information associated with at least part of a period of waiting time between said wait starting time and said wait ending time; and

means for selectively transmitting at least a portion of said delay zone information to at least one other device.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said wait starting time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

or

an estimated location of the mobile station and at least one known delay zone.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

an estimated location of the mobile station and at least one known delay zone;

expiration of a waiting period threshold value;

an occurrence of a selected action performed using the mobile station subsequent said wait starting time.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said at least one delay zone portion of said route is associated with a non-pedestrian traveled portion of said route.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, and further comprising:

means for determining an estimated time of arrival at a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said delay zone information;

or an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone associated with said route.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said expected delay time for said at least one known delay zone is based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said at least one known delay zone.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said portion of said delay zone information further corresponds to at least one known delay zone.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, and further comprising:

means for determining at least one parameter associated with said navigation progress based, at least in part, on at least one of;

a current expected location of the mobile station;

a current estimated location of the mobile station;

or a current time.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said portion of said delay zone information associated with said period of waiting time is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of the mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of the mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using the mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, and further comprising:

means for determining said route leading from a starting point associated with the mobile station to a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one map.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, and further comprising means for identifying at least one of said wait starting time or said wait ending time based, at least in part, on geofence information associated with at least one geofence region.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein said geofence information comprises a threshold geofence distance, and further comprising, means for gathering said delay zone information at least with regard to said at least one geofence region, in response to a determination that a routable distance associated with at least a portion of said route is less than said threshold geofence distance.

25. An apparatus for use in a mobile station having a network interface, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processing unit to;

estimate a navigation progress with regard to a route;

identify a wait starting time of at least one delay zone portion of said route based, at least in part, on said navigation progress;

identify a wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route;

gather delay zone information associated with at least part of a period of waiting time between said wait starting time and said wait ending time; and

selectively initiate transmission of at least a portion of said delay zone information to at least one other device via the network interface.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said wait starting time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

or

an estimated location of the mobile station and at least one known delay zone.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

an estimated location of the mobile station and at least one known delay zone;

expiration of a waiting period threshold value;

an occurrence of a selected action performed using the mobile station subsequent said wait starting time.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said at least one delay zone portion of said route is associated with a non-pedestrian traveled portion of said route.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

determine an estimated time of arrival at a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said delay zone information;

or an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone associated with said route.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said expected delay time for said at least one known delay zone is based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said at least one known delay zone.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said portion of said delay zone information further corresponds to at least one known delay zone.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

determine at least one parameter associated with said navigation progress based, at least in part, on at least one of a current expected location of the mobile station;

a current estimated location of the mobile station;

or a current time.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said portion of said delay zone information associated with said period of waiting time is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of the mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of the mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using the mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

determine said route leading from a starting point associated with the mobile station to a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one map.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further identify at least one of said wait starting time or said wait ending time based, at least in part, on geofence information associated with at least one geofence region.

36. apparatus as recited in claim 35, wherein said geofence information comprises a threshold geofence distance, and said at least one processing unit to further:

gather said delay zone information at least with regard to said at least one geofence region, in response to a determination that a routable distance associated with at least a portion of said route is less than said threshold geofence distance.

37. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementable instructions executable by one or more processing units of a mobile station to;

estimate a navigation progress with regard to a route;

identify a wait starting time of at least one delay zone portion of said route based, at least in part, on said navigation progress;

identify a wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route;

gather delay zone information associated with at least part of a period of waiting time between said wait starting time and said wait ending time; and

selectively initiate transmission of at least a portion of said delay zone information to at least one other device.

38. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said wait starting time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

or

an estimated location of the mobile station and at least one known delay zone.

39. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said wait ending time of said at least one delay zone portion of said route is identified based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a parameter associated with said navigation progress and an expected navigation progress threshold value;

an estimated location of the mobile station and at least one known delay zone;

expiration of a waiting period threshold value;

an occurrence of a selected action performed using the mobile station subsequent said wait starting time.

40. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said at least one delay zone portion of said route is associated with a non-pedestrian traveled portion of said route.

41. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to:

determine an estimated time of arrival at a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said delay zone information;

or an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone associated with said route.

42. The article as recited in claim 41, wherein said expected delay time for said at least one known delay zone is based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said at least one known delay zone.

43. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said portion of said delay zone information further corresponds to at least one known delay zone.

44. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to:

determine at least one parameter associated with said navigation progress based, at least in part, on at least one of;

a current expected location of the mobile station;

a current estimated location of the mobile station;

or a current time.

45. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said portion of said delay zone information associated with said period of waiting time is indicative at least'"'"'one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of the mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of the mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using the mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

46. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to:

determine said route leading from a starting point associated with the mobile station to a destination point based, at least in part, on at least one map.

47. The article as recited in claim 37, wherein said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to:

identify at least one of said wait starting time or said wait ending time based, at least in part, on geofence information associated with at least one geofence region.

48. The article as recited in claim 47, wherein said geofence information comprises a threshold geofence distance, and wherein said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to:

gather said delay zone information at least with regard to said at least one geofence region, in response to a determination that a routable distance associated with at least a portion of said route is less than said threshold geofence distance.

49. A method comprising, with at least one computing device:

obtaining delay zone information gathered by at least one mobile station associated with a period of waiting time experienced by said at least one mobile station during a route navigation; and

in response to determination that said delay zone information is to be associated with a known delay zone, determining an expected delay time for said known delay zone based, at least in part, on said delay zone information; and

providing navigation information for use by at least one other mobile station, said navigation information being based, at least in part, on said expected delay time for said known delay zone.

50. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein at least a portion of said delay zone information is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of said at least one mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of said at least one mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using said at least one mobile station mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

51. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is based, at least in part, on a plurality of delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said known delay zone over a period of time.

52. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is associated with a specific period of time.

53. The method as recited in claim 49, and further comprising:

associating said known delay zone with a point of interest.

54. An apparatus for use in at least one computing device, the apparatus:

means for obtaining delay zone information gathered by at least one mobile station associated with a period of waiting time experienced by said at least one mobile station during a route navigation;

means for determining whether said delay zone information is to be associated with a known delay zone;

means for determining an expected delay time for said known delay zone based, at least in part, on said delay zone information, in response to a determination that said delay zone information is to be associated with a known delay zone;

means for generating navigation information for use by at least one other mobile station, said navigation information being based, at least in part, on said expected delay time for said known delay zone; and

means for providing said navigation information to said at least one other mobile station.

55. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein at least a portion of said delay zone information is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of said at least one mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of said at least one mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using said at least one mobile station mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

56. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is based, at least in part, on a plurality of delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said known delay zone over a period of time.

57. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is associated with a specific period of time.

58. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, and further comprising:

means for associating said known delay zone with a point of interest.

59. An apparatus for use in at least one computing device having a network interface, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processing unit to;

obtain delay zone information gathered by at least one mobile station associated with a period of waiting time experienced by said at least one mobile station during a route navigation;

in response to determination that said delay zone information is to be associated with a known delay zone, determine an expected delay time for said known delay zone based, at least in part, on said delay zone information;

generate navigation information for use by at least one other mobile station, said navigation information being based, at least in part, on said expected delay time for said known delay zone; and

initiate transmission of said navigation information to said at least one other mobile station via said network interface.

60. The apparatus as recited in claim 59, wherein at least a portion of said delay zone information is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of said at least one mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of said at least one mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using said at least one mobile station mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

61. The apparatus as recited in claim 59, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is based, at least in part, on a plurality of delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said known delay zone over a period of time.

62. The apparatus as recited in claim 59, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is associated with a specific period of time.

63. The apparatus as recited in claim 59, said at least one processing unit to further:

associate said known delay zone with a point of interest.

64. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementable instructions executable by one or more processing units of a computing device having a network interface to;

obtain delay zone information gathered by at least one mobile station associated with a period of waiting time experienced by said at least one mobile station during a route navigation;

determine whether said delay zone information is to be associated with a known delay zone;

determine an expected delay time for said known delay zone based, at least in part, on said delay zone information, in response to a determination that said delay zone information is to be associated with a known delay zone;

generate navigation information for use by at least one other mobile station, said navigation information being based, at least in part, on said expected delay time for said known delay zone; and

initiate transmission of said navigation information to said at least one other mobile station via said network interface.

65. The article as recited in claim 64, wherein at least a portion of said delay zone information is indicative at least one of:

said period of waiting time;

an estimated location of said at least one mobile station at a particular time within said period of waiting time;

a sensed movement of said at least one mobile station at said particular time;

at least one selected action performed using said at least one mobile station mobile station at said particular time;

or

at least one geofence region.

66. The article as recited in claim 64, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is based, at least in part, on a plurality of delay zone information associated with a plurality of mobile stations with regard to said known delay zone over a period of time.

67. The article as recited in claim 64, wherein said expected delay time for said known delay zone is associated with a specific period of time.

68. The article as recited in claim 64, wherein said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to:

determine associate said known delay zone with a point of interest.

69. A method comprising, with a mobile station:

obtaining an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone, said expected delay time being associated with a specific period of time and based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with at least one other mobile station with regard to said at least one known delay zone;

establishing a route between a starting point and a destination point, wherein by substantially adhering to said route said mobile station is expected to at least enter said known delay zone during said specific period of time; and

determining an estimated time of arrival at said destination point based, at least in part, on said expected delay time.

70. An apparatus for use in a mobile station, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone, said expected delay time being associated with a specific period of time and based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with at least one other mobile station with regard to said at least one known delay zone;

means for establishing a route between a starting point and a destination point, wherein by substantially adhering to said route said mobile station is expected to at least enter said known delay zone during said specific period of time; and

means for determining an estimated time of arrival at said destination point based, at least in part, on said expected delay time.

71. An apparatus for use in a mobile station, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processing unit to;

obtain an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone, said expected delay time being associated with a specific period of time and based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with at least one other mobile station with regard to said at least one known delay zone;

establish a route between a starting point and a destination point, wherein by substantially adhering to said route said mobile station is expected to at least enter said known delay zone during said specific period of time; and

determine an estimated time of arrival at said destination point based, at least in part, on said expected delay time.

72. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementable instructions executable by one or more processing units of a mobile station to;

obtain an expected delay time for at least one known delay zone, said expected delay time being associated with a specific period of time and based, at least in part, on previously gathered delay zone information associated with at least one other mobile station with regard to said at least one known delay zone;

establish a route between a starting point and a destination point, wherein by substantially adhering to said route said mobile station is expected to at least enter said known delay zone during said specific period of time; and

determine an estimated time of arrival at said destination point based, at least in part, on said expected delay time.